Gold rate today, 18 April 2026: Following the easing of crude oil prices on de-escalation in the , the MCX gold rate rallied from ₹1,49,690 to ₹1,54,605 per 10 gm in the last two weeks in the last two weeks. After ending at ₹1,54,605, the logged a fortnightly gain of around ₹5,000 per 10 gm or 3.30%, fueling demand for the yellow metal ahead of the .
According to market experts, the is range-bound as investors await fresh cues on the US-Iran ceasefire talks. They believe a fresh rally in the yellow metal is likely after concrete outcomes from the US-Iran ceasefire talks. They said crude oil prices crashed by over 11.50% on Friday, but they are still well above pre-US-Iran war levels. However, they also believe that a final outcome in the US-Iran war is expected in the next few weeks, which could push gold prices another 5% to 6%. They said the gold rate in India may touch ₹1,62,500 to ₹1,63,000 in that post-ceasefire rally.
Gold rate today: Trigger that investors await
Speaking on the reason for gold price remaining range-bound despite the uncertainty caused by the US-Iran war, Jateen Trivedi, VP Research — Commodity & Currency at LKP Securities, said the gold rate today is range-bound as markets remained cautious ahead of key updates expected over the weekend on post-ceasefire developments. Participants maintained a low-risk approach, anticipating potential volatility and unexpected geopolitical turns that could lead to gap openings on Monday. The lack of fresh triggers kept gold in a sideways consolidation phase, despite underlying uncertainty.
“Overall, gold is likely to remain range-bound with a volatile bias, reacting sharply to any weekend developments,” said Jateen Trivedi of LKP Securities.
US-Iran war: Is it a right time to buy gold?
Pointing to the ceasefire in the Israel-Lebanon conflict announced on Friday, Amit Goel, Chief Global Strategist at PACE 360, said that the American administration’s move to announce a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is expected to pay dividends in the next few weeks, as it has jeopardised China’s energy imports. Similarly, neither Russia nor China will be able to send weapons to Iran due to the blockade. Russia has an option to use the Caspian Sea route, but it is not as easy as navigating through the Strait of Hormuz, which is traditional, because most of Iran’s port infrastructure has been developed around Kharg.
Expecting a final outcome in the US-Iran ceasefire talks, Amit Gole of PACE 360 said, “The final road map about a stable Middle East can be expected in the next few weeks, and this is expected to fuel the gold price by around 5-6 per cent. The gold rate today is around ₹1,54,500 per 10 gm range, which we can expect to touch ₹1,62,500 to ₹1,63,000 per 10 gm after an outcome in the US-Iran talks is announced.”
Speaking on the outlook of gold rates today, Ponmudi R, CEO of Enrich Money, said the gold price today is attempting to rebuild momentum above key support levels, with the $4,750–$4,700 zone acting as a strong base. On the upside, immediate resistance is placed around the $4,900–$4,950 zone, followed by a stronger hurdle near $5,000–$5,050. A sustained breakout above these levels would confirm a resumption of bullish momentum and could open the path toward $5,150–$5,250 in the coming weeks.
“On the downside, a break below the $4,700–$4,650 support zone could weaken the structure and extend the decline toward $4,550–$4,500, where stronger buying interest is expected to emerge. Overall, the broader trend remains constructive with a positive bias, with declines likely to attract buying interest,” the Enrich Money CEO said.
Outlook for the gold price in India
On the outlook for the gold rate today in India, Ponmudi R of Enrich Money said the gold price today in India is trading near the ₹1,54,000 to ₹1,55,000 zone, holding firm at elevated levels. The broader price structure continues to reflect a strong uptrend on the higher timeframe, with prices maintaining a pattern of higher highs and higher lows, indicating sustained bullish bias.
The Enrich Money expert said that on the downside, a break below the ₹1,52,000 to ₹1,50,000 support base could push prices toward the ₹1,48,000 to ₹1,45,000 zone. Holding above this region keeps the overall bullish structure intact; however, a further breakdown below this zone could trigger a deeper correction toward ₹1,40,000 to ₹1,38,000.
“On the upside, a sustained move above ₹1,55,000 could extend the rally toward the ₹1,58,000 to ₹1,60,000 zone, followed by a stronger hurdle near the ₹1,62,000 to ₹1,65,000 levels. Overall, the broader trend remains firmly bullish, while the current phase reflects consolidation after an extended rally. Momentum is likely to remain positive as long as prices hold above key support levels, with dips continuing to attract buying interest,” said Ponmudi of Enrich Money.
Disclaimer: This story is for educational purposes only. The views and recommendations above are those of individual analysts or broking companies, not Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.